1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a hold function of an electronic device and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for automatically performing auxiliary functions of an electronic device while the device is in hold mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many conventional electronic devices have a hold function to prevent unwanted commands from being executed through the inadvertent pressing of function keys, which can happen when a user carries the electronic device in a pocket or bag.
When a user switches an electronic device to hold mode, it indicates that the user does not wish to input commands into the electronic device for the time being while the electronic device is in a pocket or bag. However, some conventional portable electronic devices do not take this fact into consideration, causing inconvenience to users.
For example, under normal conditions, if a user does not input commands using function keys for a certain time, the display of a portable electronic device automatically switches off if an auto off function has been enabled. When the electronic device is switched to hold, this action may be interpreted as the user not wanting to use the display for the time being, so it is desirable for the device to switch off the display immediately to conserve power. However, conventional electronic devices continue to maintain their current operating state, requiring users to manually deactivate the hold function and turn off the display to save power, which is inconvenient.